St. Matthew's recovers church bell

St. Matthew's Episcopal Church parishioner Randy Bazet (from left), The Rev. Craig Dalferes, and senior warden of the church Rob Alexander look over the bell from the church Monday morning. The bell came from the Meneely & Kimberly Foundry and was presented to the church by Charles Morgan in 1872.

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Last week, church members and leaders were not sure if the bell would be successfully recovered. Still, when it was recovered this morning, the bell was fully intact.

Beulah Rodrigue, a eucharistic minister at the church and a member since 1947, said she used to ring the bell on many occasions.

“We rang a bell when people died, for every year they lived,” Rodrigue said.

Demolition of the church, destroyed by a fire on Nov. 11, began last week, following a prayer service.

An official cause for the fire has not been determined. Houma Fire Inspector Mike Millet said officials are still investigating. The Rev. Craig Dalferes said he heard the fire was electrical, though he said that wasn't official.

<p>HOUMA — Construction workers recovered the bell from St. Matthew's Episcopal Church this morning.</p><p>Last week, church members and leaders were not sure if the bell would be successfully recovered. Still, when it was recovered this morning, the bell was fully intact.</p><p>Beulah Rodrigue, a eucharistic minister at the church and a member since 1947, said she used to ring the bell on many occasions.</p><p>“We rang a bell when people died, for every year they lived,” Rodrigue said.</p><p>Demolition of the church, destroyed by a fire on Nov. 11, began last week, following a prayer service.</p><p>An official cause for the fire has not been determined. Houma Fire Inspector Mike Millet said officials are still investigating. The Rev. Craig Dalferes said he heard the fire was electrical, though he said that wasn't official.</p><p>Demolition of the church will continue through the week.</p>